More cuts proposed for Greene County

Nov. 19, 2013

Written by

Biggest proposed changes in 2014

• No more zoning or code complaint response • County administrator would retire, then return at half pay • Prosecutor’s Office is considering laying off five people • Public Administrator’s Office will only be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Building permits will not be issued the same day they are filed • No more public Wi-Fi

More

ADVERTISEMENT

Friday was bad enough. Monday got worse.

Greene County officials again gathered Monday morning to discuss the dreary budget expectations for 2014.

On Friday, Greene County officeholders discussed the cuts, largely to personnel.

Department heads were told to cut 10 percent of their general revenue budgets. For many, that meant layoffs. Some chose to cut their own pay, and others opted to be open to the public for fewer hours.

Monday’s discussion hinged on services not directly tied to county operations that have not found a place in the budget.

Those items ranged from lobbying services to county memberships, economic development partnerships to school crossing guards.

In total, if the county were to keep all of those services — which it has to date — it would be at a cost of $166,100.

While none of the services discussed Monday are directly tied to statutory requirements, many are important to county operations, commissioners said.

All three commissioners agreed that the Salute to Legislators, a welcoming party for state legislators at the beginning of the new session organized by a large group of local governments, will likely be the first to go.

But there weren’t any other strong indicators of priorities for any of the other items.

Commissioners said they wanted to mull options before making any decisions.